Typical hockey stick blades or replacement blades are generally made of a wooden core reinforced with one or more layers of synthetic material such as fiberglass, carbon fiber or graphite and the likes. The core of the blade may also be made of a plastic material reinforced with layers of synthetic fiber material. The reinforcement layer is usually a woven filament sheet, typically soaked in a resin and glued to the outer surfaces of the blade. The blade is strong, stiff and durable. Because of the resin layer surface, the blade has a smooth and hard finish.
To provide the blade with a means for absorbing a portion of the impact of a puck hitting the blade and also to provide a coarser blade surface which will increase the gripping action of the blade on the puck when stick handling, many players add a layer of tape to the blade of the hockey stick. The layer of tape provide a better grip on the puck, absorbs some of the impact when the player performs a slap shot, and also increases the life of the blade by providing a replaceable layer of protection to the hockey stick blade.
However, the layer of tape increases the weight of the blade. Furthermore, it must be replaced regularly as it wears out, thereby increasing the maintenance time the player must dedicate to his or her hockey stick. Also the layer of tape on the bottom surface of the blade impairs the sliding motion of the blade on the ice, hindering the player when shooting and stick handling.
Thus there is a demand for an improved hockey stick blade capable of absorbing some of the impact of a puck and adapted to provide a gripping action on the puck during stick handling.